Spanish authorities investigate shooting of long-lived orca Toñi

orca protection wildlife crime Strait of Gibraltar Spanish Guardia Civil environmental prosecution

Spanish authorities are investigating the shooting of Toñi, the oldest orca in the Strait of Gibraltar and Gulf of Cádiz populations. The Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) has referred the case to the Environmental Prosecutor's Office after finding evidence of a crime against protected fauna.

Preliminary investigations suggest the shots, likely from a shotgun, were fired from a Spanish-flagged vessel while it was in Portuguese waters. The orca was found with pellet wounds to its dorsal fin.

Violating protections for this threatened species could lead to criminal charges and administrative fines of up to two million euros. The Guardia Civil is working to identify the perpetrators and verify the vessel's documentation and weapons permits. Spanish officials are coordinating with Portuguese authorities to resolve the international dimension of the incident.

Entities

Guardia Civil · Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests · Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge · Strait of Gibraltar · Toni

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] The victim is Toñi, the oldest orca in the Strait of Gibraltar and Gulf of Cádiz population. www.cadizdirecto.com · www.lavozdegalicia.es
[● 2 SOURCES] The alleged shots were fired from a Spanish vessel while in Portuguese waters. www.cadizdirecto.com · www.lavozdegalicia.es
[● 2 SOURCES] The Ministry has referred the case to the Environmental Prosecutor's Office. www.cadizdirecto.com · www.lavozdegalicia.es
[● 2 SOURCES] The Guardia Civil is investigating the identity of the suspects and checking vessel documentation. www.cadizdirecto.com · www.lavozdegalicia.es
[○ 1 SOURCE] Violating protections for orcas can result in fines of up to two million euros and criminal liability. www.lavozdegalicia.es
[● 2 SOURCES] MITECO considers a Spanish-flagged yacht responsible for shooting an orca named Toñi with a shotgun. www.cadizdirecto.com · www.lavozdegalicia.es

Sources

La Guardia Civil investiga los disparos contra Toñi, la orca más longeva del Estrecho de Gibraltar [www.cadizdirecto.com]

26 days ago

Multa de hasta dos millones a un yate español acusado de disparar a una orca [www.lavozdegalicia.es]

26 days ago